Arrow Family Ties
by JacklyinKarst
Summary: After a patrol with Green and Red Arrow goes horribly wrong Artemis finds herself relying on both her old and new families to save her. Mild Spitfire and lots of Arrowfam bonding! Bad title but they seem to be harder then the story sometimes! Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

When Artemis felt the thick fog lift from her mind, she felt like hurling. Her wrists were chaffing, reopening the bloody cuts on them. Her muscles were on fire as if someone was burning them, but her skin was cold to the touch, like she was in a meat locker. The next stabs of pain came from her shoulders. From the agony screaming across them, she figured they must have almost been ripped off. Feeling more sick than when she woke up, she looked down and retched, watching the bile mix with the blood at her feet. Then she saw him and everything cam rushing back.

* * *

A few days earlier...

The night was warm and clear, the moon shone so brightly it almost turned night into day. Artemis leapt from building to building, gaining more and more momentum as she went. She fired arrows as she went, pinning muggers, thieves and would be killers to walls and street lamps. It had been a pretty good night. At least up till now it had. As she grappled into a less than ideal area of town, she spotted a familiar red-haired and bad-tempered archer. She slowed down and watched him take out the thugs all around him. It looked like he had infiltrated (now isn't that ironic) a ring being used by Count Vertigo. Artemis' eyes widened in horror as she looked above Red Arrows head to see a sniper, cleverly hidden, take careful aim and Red Arrow's crimson head. Without a second thought, Artemis shot an exploding arrow at the feet of the sniper, collapsing the perch he was on sending him tumbling into the brawl below. Artemis flipped down from her vantage point, landing back to back with Red Arrow.

"Still haven't learned to radio ahead huh rookie?" Red Arrow smirked, sending a mook flying head first into a nearby wall.

"Artemis to Arrow. Watch out." Artemis recited dryly but with a matching smirk playing on her lips. Ever since the mission at Haley's circus and Artemis' admission to her family ties, the duo had reconciled and became as close as a brother and sister... Which in fact they were about to become. After her mother passed away from a heart attack, Ollie, Roy and Dinah had insisted they bring her into their family officially. Now they waded through the mooks easily taking out the swarms of them.

"Twenty bucks says I can take out more bad guys then you, Red!"

"I'll raise you fifty and the loser has to go around the cave acting like a servant for the winner!" And so the body count began. Both Archers were so against losing that they pushed even harder than normal. But if they hadn't been focusing solely on beating the other, they may have noticed the sniper slink of into the night.

* * *

Green Arrow was mad. Not only did he and Dinah have a fight, resulting in them 'taking a break.' (I mean who was he? _ROSS?!) _But a long with that, the Joker had decided to run rampant in his city. The psycho had already killed four people, all of whom were teenage girls with long blonde hair...

"Shit." GA cursed aloud at this realization.

"What's wrong, Robin Hood? You need the big bad Bat to stop me? Can't even take care of your own city, Archery Boy? AHAHAHAHAHA!" the Joker jeered throwing a knife with surprising accuracy toward the archer's face. In truth of fact, Green Arrow was going to call Batman, assuming the detective didn't already know Gotham's most dangerous lunatic was here. But Joker's taunts had stuck a nerve. If ever a villan from Star, Central, Metropolis ran into Gotham, it became 'the Bats' problem. Other heroes weren't even allowed to pursue their own villain! Green Arrow didn't need anyones help watching over his own city, (well maybe a bit from Artemis, Red Arrow and Black Canary...) He shot a net arrow toward the clown, but it was slashed by a well placed knife. Next was a foam arrow that was expertly dodged. It was time for that bit of help from the proteges!

"Green Arrow to Artemis and Red Arrow if your here! I could use a little help over here!" The teens exchanged a glance. They were just finishing counting the goons they had beaten up. It was a tie.

"What's up GA?" Artemis responded.

"I need some assistance in catching a certain homicidal clown!"

"You mean the Joker?" Red shot her a look.

"Do you know of any other homicidal clowns?" he sassed.

"I meant what's the Joker doing in Star city? It's bad enough seeing him in the Gotham papers."

"Don't know, don't care! Ask him when we catch him!" Green Arrow sounded a bit hassle.

"Tie breaker?"

"Your on! Where are?" Red Arrow asked sending a beacon to the police.

"On the corner of eleventh and Main heading West. And if you wouldn't mind hurrying up, this guy is pulling knifes out of the strangest places!" Artemis and Red Arrow took off sprinting. They flew across the rooftops in a way that would have made Robin proud as the rushed to their mentors aid.

"I'll meet up with Arrow and you head him off at Fourth!" Without giving her enough time to respond, he veered suddenly to the left. She stuck out her tounge but did as he said and with a new burst of speed rocketed toward fourth and Main.

Meanwhile Red Arrow had misjudged his timing slightly and hurtled into Green Arrow sending them flying into the ground uncomfortably fast. They leapt up faster than Kid Flash, but the Joker had already disappeared from sight. the emerald archer looked around and let out an angry stream of cuss words. Now Batman would defiantly be the one to bring Joker down.

"Relax Ollie," Red Arrow said brushing himself off and picking up his fallen bow. "I sent Atry ahead to cut him off at fourth. We'll get him! Hey wait up!" But Green Arrow was already off and running. Joker was killing girls with long blonde hair and Artemis had the longest and blondest hair he knew, not to mention she had kicked him in the face the last time they met. This simply screamed BAD, DANGER, and IMMENSE PERIL.

"Green Arrow to Artemis come in... Come in Artemis! ARTEMIS!" He rounded the corner and sprinted down fourth, peering into alley ways and up on rooftops as he went. Finally he came to a stop on the second to last alley. When Roy finally caught up he saw what he ws praying not to find: Ollie, kneeling by a pool of fresh blood and clutching a broken bow that lay next to an empty quiver.

* * *

So was it good? Should I keep going? R&R! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2 Fun Times With Mista J

By the way... I own nothing! just saying! be warned torture sence comming up!

* * *

Arrows Green and red burst into the cave not ten minutes later. Batman was in the middle of briefing the team on locating the Jokers whereabouts in Star City. He was not pleased with the interruption, but lost his Bat-glare at the sight of the Archers distressed faces.

"What happened?" Batman demanded.

"Yeah where's Arty? Wasn't she out on patrol with you?!" Kid Flash asked bouncing on the balls of his feet in worry for his girlfriend.

"We tried to contact her but she didn't respond to her comm link or Miss. Martian's telepathy!" Robin injected. "Is she okay?"

"Batman. We need to talk." The two mentors moved to the side to talk privately. The team surrounded Red Arrow and bombarded him with questions.

"Roy," came Aqualad's calm voice, "What has happened to Artemis?" the worry was written all over the teams faces.

"I... She... I didn't think that... ARRRUGH! It's all my fault!" Red Arrow punched the wall in frustration. Aqulalad laid a comforting hand on his distressed friend's shoulders.

"Please. Start from the beginning." Red launched into his story starting from where Artemis saved him and ending at their gruesome discovery.

"She saved me but I couldn't even watch her back! If I hadn't sent her ahead she wouldn't be..." He couldn't finish the thought because it sent shivers running up and down his spine. The team's faces of worry had turned into distraught ones, emphasis on the 'dis'. Kid Flash paced a large trench into the ground going over several terrible things he could do to the Joker if she didn't come back to him. Everything stayed that way untill the signal for an incoming video message sounded. Robin leapt across the room to answer it and Green Arrow and Batman rushed into the room. The screen lit up with Joker's grotesque figure causing Red Arrow to snarl.

"Good evening Bat Brats and sidekicks alike! Does Mista J have a show for you tonight? For your viewing pleasure, I have brought you, all the way from Star city, my special guest victim, Green Arrow's replacement sidekick... ARTEMIS! Come on folks lets give her a hand! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Corny fake clapping went along with the creepy laughter as Artemis was brought on screen. The team could clearly see her; her wrists were bound by a frayed but thick rope that was already stained from her blood. Her face had two long cuts, presumably to make a large smile. Her arms had skin hanging off in strips. She looked a bit worse for wear, but she managed to glare at the clown all the same.

"You sick freak! Release her!" Green Arrow was trying very hard not to punch out the video feed.

"Oh that's nothing compared to what's next! You see, I was wondering around Star City when I discovered this lovely place! It's got beautiful decor, don't you think?" Superboy snarled at the screen. "Guess not! HAHAHA! Anyways it came with such a cool looking crane I just _had _to try it out! Oh boooooys!" Two burly looking henchmen in clown masks picked up Artemis, snarled one arm in her hair and tied her other wrist to the line suspended from the crane. Then Joker, from the cockpit hoisted her high up into the air.

"What are you... NO ARTEMIS!" Kid FLash screamed as the clown prince of crime suddenly let Artemis plummet. She free fell several feet before Joker stopped her deccent with a jerk. The disturbing sound of Artemis' arms nearly being ripped clean off echoed through out the cave closely followed by her anguished cries. The team watched petrified as Joker's henchmen brought her down to the sound of his maniacal laughter. Then Connor let out a rage filled scream and put a whole through the wall, M'gann let out a terrified gasp and fell to the floor in sobs. Aqualad clenched his fists and murderously glared at the Joker while trying desperately to remain calm. Red Arrow snapped the arrow he didn't realize he was holding, Robin did his own version of his mentors Bat-glare and planned out a very detailed murder. Kid Flash loudly proclaimed the Joker's demise similar to his reaction during the simulation. Batman's whole body language tensed and though his face remained stoic but his fists clenched tightly around a batarang. Green Arrow growled low in his throat and behind his mask his eyes filled his anger and hatred.

"Well that was fun! Stay tuned for another installment of 'Snapping Baby Arrow!' BLAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" and the screen went to static.

* * *

Joker thought that was hilarious. Not just funny but a total laugh riot. He had been so used to torturing Robin that other people screams were like music to his ears. Not to mention actually getting a reaction out of the audience, not just Batman's usual stoic expression. It was immensely satisfying. Now the clown had originally planned to kill the blonde slowly on camera then send the video to the Hall of Justice as well as Belle Reve, but the looks on the heroes faces were simply priceless and way too good to end.

"Well Rapunzel, wasn't that fun?" Artemis spat at his feet, blood mixing with the saliva and growled.

"Go to hell pysco!" She narrowed her eyes in a Bat-like fashion, sending an image of an irate Batman through Joker's mind.

"Awww you didn't have fun? Well then maybe we should try again?" He watched her eyes widen and try to wriggle out of her bonds without using her arms. The pain must have been excruitating, Joker realized, but the girl barely made any acknowledgement of it. He had two thouhgts just then: 1. How long is it going to take to break this girl? and 2. The blonde hair, pale grey eyes, rude attitude and seemingly immune to pain seemed awfuly familiar... but what the heck he'd figure it out after thought 1 was taken care of. "MUHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" He untied her from the crane, smacking her cruely making the cuts on her face bleed anew. She tried to pull her non-injured arm away from him but he held on too tight. "Naughty, Naughty!" he said slicing his knife into her injured shoulder. She tried to sweep his legs out from under him, but he pushed her away and stomped on her ankle.

'Great. Now my arm is slowly killing me and my ankle is bust... fan flipping tastic!' she thought to herself bitting back the tears that were forming. "Crocks don't cry! Crocks don't cry!" she repeated her mantra to herself so quietly it was almost inaudible, but Joker still heard it. He was about to stab her through her side but instead fell over howling with laughter.

"YOU"RE A CROCK?!AHAHAHAHA! As in Lawrence Crock aka Sportsmaster?! HAHAHAH!" Joker gasped between peals of laughter. Atremis to drag herself away but a henchman pulled her roughly up by her shoulder making her wince. He tied her waist to a pole that supported some rusty meat hooks, then suddenly peirced her arms with them letting her hang off them like a peice of beef. SHe let out a strangled cry but for the most part kept her mouth tightly sealed. "Well Rapunzel, you see if you are the assasin's daughter, then this opens up a whole new realm of possiblites! After I've had my fun whose to say others won't want a turn? Because really, how popular are deserters and snitches? So for a simple price of hmmm let's say ten thousand, they could have their very own limited edition wanna be archer playmate! How's that for a sales pitch?"

"Only ten thousand? I'm whelmed. I'm worth at least fifteen! But let me tell you, no ones gonna care. And then when nobody shows up, my friends and I are going to kick you sorry ass all the way back to Gotham!"

"AHAHAHAHA! Well let's just see how well you can kick with broken legs!" It took him two days, but finally after an amass of weird and unusal tortures, he finally broke the Arrow. He left her where she hung, still suspended from the meat hooks, and took the recording with him. It was time for him to start up the biggest bidding war of the century.

* * *

Thanks for all the awesome reveiws guy! and to those of you who spotted the Friends reference I awarded you as many house points as you want! :D :D I'll try and update again soon! :D hope you enjoyed Chapter 2!


	3. Reactions

Obviously I own nothing... otherwise this would be on the air! common sense seems to elude the copyright folks don't you think? Enjoy!

* * *

Wally was doing what everyone had long thought was impossible. He was staying silent. He ate only enough to keep him alert, but refrained from stuffing his face full. When he was alone in his room he cried. Not a lot, but tears streamed down hs cheeks and stained his pillow when he slept. When ever anyone besides Robin tried to talk to him, he would either run off or get into a full fledged screaming match. It was on such an occasion that after Connor asked him to get over himself and do something productive, that an all out fist fight broke out between the two. Wally's speed kept him alive and Connor's invulnerability reduced Wally's punches to mere annoyances. Finally it took the combined might of Kaldur, M'gann and Clark to subdue the two and haul them to separate corners of the Cave. Wally was furious at the clone for suggesting he got over Artemis. He had finally found his spitfire and he was terrified that he would lose her just as fast. Or even worse have the experience change her into someone else. He had ran all over Star City and Gotham searching, desperately looking for his girlfriend but hadn't found once trace or clue as to where Joker may be hiding. His killed him that he couldn't save her just like the excercise. As Kaldur chastised him he let a new stream of tears roll down his cheeks. Then Kaldur clapped him on the shoulder.

"Wally. Know that we will find her. If it's the last thing we do, we will find her." Dully Wally nodded before speeding off toward the Dick's room. On his way, he passed a furious Connor who was being soothed by Clark.

"That jackass!" Clark raised an eyebrow at the clone's language. "Artemis and I have been hanging out a lot lately... she taught me some um certain describing words for Wally... the jackass." Connor shifted his feet still in the mood for pounding something (preferably a clown) into the dust. Even if he wasn't the closest with Artemis, lately the two had been around each other a lot, whether waiting for their respective dates to finish with their outfits or be done with their pre-meal snacks, or just watching the static channel. It bothered him so much that one of his friends, that was really more family, to be missing and in so much pain. Clark made him sit down on the squishy green sofas with him. The adrenaline was still coursing through Connor so his let bounced up and down and shook quite a bit.

"I know you're still upset Connor, but you need to calm down. Try and think of it from his point of his point of view! after all, it is his girlfriend whose missing..." Connor glared at his 'father'.

"HE'S JUST SITTING AROUND MOPING AND BEING AN ASS TO EVERYONE! Why doesn't he help me find her?" he smashed the table sending it to a splinter grave.

"Help you find her? Don't you mean help the team and the Leauge find her? He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his broad chest.

"W-w-well yeah I guess so... It was just a slip of tounge... I guess. She's my... my... I don't know! She's my sister..." Clark nodded his head in understanding. He too thought of his friends as his surrogate family, so he knew how hard it was to watch one of them in pain.

"Come on. Let's see if our X-ray vision won't give us a leg up on finding her." The Kryptonians left through the Zeta tubs and Wally made it to Dick's room.

* * *

"Hey... Find anything new?" Dick was sitting in his dark room, with the only light comming off his computer screen. He had been going over and over the video desperately searching for anything that could reveal Joker and Artemis' location. The happy, cocky troll Robin had been replaced by one that so resembled his mentor, it was like he was the clone instead of Superboy. He had worked around the clock looking for clues. Nothing had come up and the video was starting to drive him slightly crazy. Seeing his best girl friend in so much pain, was killing him. Was this how Batman felt? He was almost the one in pain, never the one having to watch it. It was only due to his extensive training that he didn't break down already. He had needed to mute the sound a few hours ago, it was making him so furious. Dick had never wanted to harm a man so much then right now. Even when Tony Zucco had murdered his parents, he had only wanted justice. Now he only craved revenge.

"No. I'm sorry. There's nothing... nothing I can find." He sounded so mournful and angry at the same time. It was like he had lost his parents all over again. Trying to release some of his pent up angst, Dick slammed his fists into his desk before flopping face first onto his bed. "ARRRUGH! Why can't I do anything?" He pulled the pillow over his eyes and buried himself in it.

"Dude. There's nothing we can do! If the Joker doesn't want to be found, I don't think anyone will be able to." Wally told his best mate, filling the now empty computer chair. They sat in silence for a while untill finally they fell asleep, completely drained from searching.

* * *

Zatanna held M'gann while the martian girl sobbed her eyes out, still in her human disguise. Zatanna knew exactly how she felt. It was painful to loose her best friend she'd ever had after her mom had disappeared on her and her father. She had been in the middle of reading an ancient magic text, when Kaldur had contacted her and asked her to come back to the Cave for something of the utmost importance. When she got there, she was greeted by the most chalant faces she'd even seen. Batman and her father had explained to her the pg version of the transpired events, and asked her to try and help M'gann. So, she had been sitting with the desolate girl for hours almost days now trying to keep herself calm enough to comfort the other girl. It was a difficult task, seeing as she could barely keep herself from breaking down like the martian. She simply held the girl and whispered comforting lies to her, despite not knowing the entire story. Finally the martian looked at her, the girl's eye blood shot and puffy.

"Do you really want to know?" her voice was parched but she said it clearly enough. Zatanna only half nodded not really sure if she did. M'gann closed her eyes and brought Zatanna into her mind. For both their sakes she played her memories at an accelerated pace, but Zatanna got every bit of it. With a horrified look underneath her now wet eyes both girls clung tightly to each other, though now it was M'gann's turn to do the comforting. She had felt the emotions of everyone, even those threw the video feed. The general feelings of those in the Cave were of horror and intense hatred. But it was the minds of her earth-sister and the evil clown that had bothered her. Pain. Pain more terrible than anything she had ever encountered flowed through Artemis, along with flashes from her childhood training sessions with Sportsmaster and some with Chesire. Like she was associating this pain with her training. Like she was trying to block out everything but her father's words: Crocks don't cry. Maybe Crock's didn't like to show pain, or sadness or fear, but that clown certainly didn't hide his mirth. His mind was a mirror of his hideous laughter, just as sick and twisted. And it made M'gann feel sick and it twisted her stomach to think anyone would enjoy causing such pain to another being.

"Please, please come back to us Artemis!" both girls quietly prayed.

* * *

Kaldur let the water stream over his body. Water had always been his safe haven. It calmed him down and allowed him to think clearly. But tonight nothing would help raise his worries or insecurities. Times like these made him wish that he had stayed with Tula in Atlantis. Being the leader he felt responsible for the entire team. And while Artemis had always told him there were certain things he just couldn't control, it didn't help him ease the guilt he was feeling. He sighed as an octopus no bigger then his pinky floated by. It seemed so unbothered by the world around it. It just floated. How Kaldur wished he could do the same. No trouble, no worries... "Hakuna Matata, as it was." Artemis had been the one to show him that movie. Picking up speed, Kaldur raced back to the Cave. He could no longer sit idley while his sister was in mortal peril.

* * *

"Recognized: Batman B02." Batman walked into the Bat-cave after twenty nine hours of searching with no leads or even clues. He was completely without a hint and nothing made him more frustrated. He had watched the video almost as many times as his ward. Seeing the girl who had worked do hard to fix her life and make it better, have it practically torn from her made him furious. It was one thing to hurt his own protegé to get to him, but taking Artemis was a whole other story. He felt like a complete failure for not being able to stop his own villans from leaving his jail cell! All he wanted to do was to bring Artemis home, but how could he do that when he couldn't even find her. Nothing had gone right. Alfred materialized behind him with a cup of coffee and lightly buttered toast.

"No luck, sir?" Alfred looked just as grim as the Dark Knight. He had met Miss. Crock on the several occasions that Master Dick brought her home to study.

"No, Alfred. There was nothing. Not one signal flippin' clue!" Gotham's protector growled and flipped on the Bat-computer. Files on all of Gotham and Star City criminal hideouts came up on screen. He had already gone through these files many times before, but no leads had come from any of it. As he scrolled over the names, places and various dates, he could only hope Roy and Olliver were having better luck.

* * *

Roy was having no luck at all. While everyone else was souring the city, he was taking his anger out on the various goons he was in_terror_gating.

"Tell me what you know, or I will start chopping off fingers!" He pulled an actual arrow from his quiver using the hand that wasn't pining the nameless thug to the wall.

"Please! Please! I don't know anything! I just get hired as a little extra muscles every once in a while! Nobody tells me anything I swear!" Roy growled.

"Not. Good. Enough." He raised the arrow and the man let out a girlish scream and clenched his eyes shut. Roy slammed the arrow into the the sleeve of the man's shirt pinning him there. And before the man could even open his eyes, he had disappeared. Up on the roof above the alley where the 'conversation' was taking place, he sat with his legs over the side and his knuckles to his eyes. "Just not good enough!" he had been shaking down leads and calling in favours for almost two and a half days straight, for absolutely nothing to come up. He was getting close to snapping and creating a literal 'dead' lead. But so far he had managed to keep his cool, though it was getting hotter and harder to control. This must be how Connor feels all the time... After a few more minutes of moping he got to his feet. He'd rendezvous back at the Cave and see if anyone else came up with something.

* * *

Green Arrow was pacing back and forth, deep in thought. He was on top of one of the Star Labs building looking out over his city. He had looked everywhere for her. She was the daughter he'd never had, and not being able to help her or keep her safe was killing him inside. Dinah didn't help when she walked into the Cave, a mixed look of anger and worry on her face. He'd stormed out before she could chastise him. He had enough guilt in his head for a life time. He was so engrossed in his musing of failure, he failed to hear the footsteps come up behind him. he probably wouldn't have noticed the presence on the rooftop had the other man not hit him with a fairly large baseball bat.

"You son of a bitch." Sportsmaster spat right in Olliver's face. "She trusted you, you bastard and you made her weak!" He accented each word with venomous hatred in his voice. But it also had an odd quiver in it. "Have you even bothered looking for her? DO you even care my baby girl is locked away by some murderous clown? Or was she just some pity project you can be done with now? Do it even bother you she may not last the rest of the week you selfish ass?" While he was still insulted beyond belief, Ollie felt compelled to give the man a hug. But his harsh tone was not what he needed at the moment and Artemis' stories of abuse started to ring in his ears.

"Your call me selfish? Your the heartless criminal who tried to turn his daughter into a weapon!"

"I taught her to protect herself! How to fight! Clearly what you taught her was how to get herself tortured and killed! You made her weak!"

"At least I was there for her when she needed it! Did you even know that your wife died a few months ago? Where were you when Artemis needed someone huh! WHERE?" Sportmaster tried to punch the archer in the face but was outmaneuvered and was sent stumbling. Olliver came toward with his own punches but was blocked. Sportsmaster went in with a leg sweep, then a right hook. Ollie lashed out with a roundhouse kick. The two men continued their argument while fighting on the lonely rooftop.

"You think I don't care about my family? I taught them to never show weakness so they couldn't be taken advantage of! You ruined that all!"

"STOP CALLING ARTEMIS WEAK! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE HER FATHER! I LOVE HER LIKE SHE IS MY OWN AND YOU WILL NEVER HURT HER AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?" Olliver, blinded by rage, roared and rushed the other man, ignoring the knife that he pulled out. They had crashed into a wall and fought for control over the weapon when eight red arrows pinned them to separate walls.

"Enough! What the hell are you two doing? Fighting like this isn't going to save her from the Joker!" Roy looked even more angsty then Olliver had seen him in a long time. He was probably just as worried and feeling just as guilty he realized.

"You really are as clueless as he says you are." Roy was on Sportsmaster in an instant.

"What. Do. You. KNOW?" They both glared at each other while Olliver tried to get out from Roy's arrows.

"I know that you're too late. The sick twerp already got rid of her. I was so close... she was almost safe... I don't know who has her now. But I sure as hell know where that bastard is." Roy and Ollie exchanged a look.

"What happened?"

* * *

Hope that made some sense. I know I was kinda vague with the times. And in case you didn't pick up on it, Sportsmaster is projecting his anger for himdelf onto GA! (we had a huge disscusion today in ELA IB when this was written so I threw it in there!) Tell me what you think!


	4. The Auction

Joker was swimming in cash. The now empty auction house he had percured for this event, stood quietly on the outskirts of Star City. It had been the only building left standing after a particularly violent chemical fire a few years back. With some red curtains, a few spotlights and comfy chairs it was as good as new. Joker laughed loudly making the sound echo across the room. One hundred Million dollars was enough to make anyone crazy with happiness. Though Joker may have been taking it too far when he nearly fell off his chair laughing. Thinking about the large turnout made him laugh even harder. True, Rapunzel's words had worried him a small bit, but boy oh boy was she wrong. A sidekick of the Justice League was valuable on her own, but one that was also the daughter of an assassin for the League of Shadow? Priceless. She just had so many uses and opportunities to be used for. Either a hostage or bartering tool, the JLA would never allow one of their own to go unreached. Though many villains would be clambering over each other to use for vengeance against her mentor. Or even Red Arrow, they had gotten close and every villan knew it. But the real reason behind the massive turnout of assorted villans from all over the country, was the famed assassin. As you could have guessed, Sportsmaster would never let anyone hurt his baby girl: That was for him to do himself. And if you owed a favour to him (Which most people did) what better way to return it but with his own flesh and blood? And so everyone had responded to the video message that Joker had sent out. It had been accompanied with an edited torture tape to prove he had the archer in his posession. There was Poison Ivy, Riddler, Two-Face, Count Vertigo, The Brain and Mr. Mallah, Clock King, Mr. Freeze, Icicle Jr. and Sr., Catwomen, Vandel Savage, Queen Bee, Black Manta, Ocean Master, Klarion the Witch boy adn his familiar, Brick, Lex Luthor and Mercy, Cheshire, Ra's Al Ghul, Gorrila Grodd, Mad Hatter, Penguin, Scar Face and Dummy, Music Meister, Mr. Myxlplyx, Toyman, Black Mask, Sinestro, as well as a little known crook who introduced himself as Matches Malone. Apart from the super villans, there was also a while horde of gangsters and mobsters. Then, just when Joker was going to begin, the doors blew open and a razor sharp javilen few with deadly accuracy toward Joker's head. Had it been any other man, the spear would have went straight through his skull. This was however the Joker. It would take something so much more to even land a blow on him and he ducked at the last moment, allowing the weapon to pierce the curtain and narrowly miss Artemis who was tied up back stage. Then Sportsmaster sauntered in looking furiously pissed off. Everyone gazed at him a moment before pulling out some sort of weapon and pointed it at him.

"Now, now Sporty! If you want the merchandise you're going to have to bid for it just like everyone else here! AHAHAHAHAHA!" Joker cackled from atop the podium.

"Why you little piece of-" Lawrence was cut off by the sound of almost two hundred pieces of weaponry clicking and arming. All of the those weapons were now pointed at his head. "Grrrrrr. Fine. But you'll pay clown. Mark my words." He said gruffly before sitting down near his other daughter, crossing his arms across his chest. Everyone slowly re holstered their guns, swords, whips, magic and knifes.

"Well now that everyone's here, let's get started! Ladies and germs, crooks and hussies, tonight I have a very special offer! Tonight you will have the opportunity to win the most rare and limited item! You will not doubt the inexplicable value of such a lucky and difficult catch! Tonight you will-"

"For the love of God get on with it! You already sent us the torture tapes you idiot, otherwise none of us would have shown up!" Black Mask shouted.

"Oh you don't think that was a little much do you? Because I worked so hard on that speech and I didn't want it to seem forced or-"

"Get on with it!" Black Mask repeated.

"Yes get on with it!" Catwomen echoed.

"But..."

"YES GET ON WITH IT!" the entire audience screamed.

"Oh everyone just shut up and freaking start already... morons." Artemis muttered from behind the thick red curtain hiding her from the villans.

"Hmph party poopers. Fine then, I present to you... Artemis! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The curtain fell to the floor and a gasp rose up from the crowd into the room. murmers swept through the villans as the bounced up and down excitedly in their seats. Some stood up to get a better view, but Cheshire felt her face lose some colour and she slipped lower in her seat. Her baby sister looked so pale from blood loss. There were two holes in her where something must have gone straight threw her. And her shoulder were bent and twisted at such awkward angles, like they had been ripped out of their sockets then twisted around some. Her skin was practically caked in blood, and the seldom spots that weren't had dark black bruises. And her normaly luscious hair, usually so sleek and shiny, now fell limply around her swollen face. It was matted with dirt and blood, and looked as weak and broken as the girl it was attached to. Artemis' grey eyes, the same grey as her own, fluttered weakly, like she was struggling to keep them open. Jade had to wonder why. Her entire body was covered in blood, bruises or deep cuts. Not to mention her shoulders. If she didn't get them set soon, she may not be able to fire a bow again. But she was still fighting. Just like a true Crock would. Cheshire could only pray she had enough stubbornness to survive this horrible ordeal.

"Let's start the bidding at fifteen thousand, shall we hmm? Do I hear fifteen?"

"Fifteen!" One of Ivy's plants raised her paddle. The Bat would defiantly leave her alone if she had the archer as a 'gift' for him.

"Twenty Five!" Penguin called in his nasally voice. The blonde dangling off Gotham Tower would make the perfect distraction for his planned jewel heist next week,

"Forty!" Cheshire kept her voice neutral, but her father noticed a pleading note to it.

"Sixty Five for my new Alice!" Cheshire and Sportsmaster gave hateful glares toward Mad Hatter. Everyone knew what he was planning, and to be honest it made most of the sick. But the Hatter just winked leacherously at Jade and smiled psychoticly.

"One Hundred Thousand!" Lex Luthor raised his baton almost lazily. Joker wondered why he didn't hire someone to do it for him, the rich sot. But Luthor had a plan. His son would be sorely in his debt should his friend be returned safe and sound.

"One Fifty" Black Mask yelled. He would sell her again to the Black Market. By this point many of the less then rich villains started to grumble. They were going to use the girl to make their fortunes, not spend one on her. Joker laughed maniacaly. (What's new there?)

"One fifty, going once..." Black Mask looked smug for a minutes while the villans whispered among theirselves.

"One seventy five!" Cheshire and Sportsmaster combined their funds, albeit Cheshire was reluctant to but the thought of someone like Hatter having her gave her chills.

"Two hundred." The two assassins looked incredulously at their master, Ra's Al Ghul who gave them a sympathetic shrug. The child was extremely valuable, and could be just the bargaining to tool the Light required.

"Two seventy five." Those jewels were worth three times that amount.

"Three Fifty." The Brick called. That sidekick was going to pay through her.

"Four seventy five for Baby Flash's girlfriend." That stupid red head was going to scream when he saw what had become of her.

"Five!" Selena Kyle knew the girl from off the streets. Losing her would kill her mother and Artemis had saved her life once or twice so she figured she owed her."

"Five Fifty!" Though Sr. didn't think it was worth it, but his son had convinced him that getting on Sportsmaster's good side again wasn't a bad plan. Three years they had, had a falling out a mission and Lawrence had threatened to brutally murder him if he ever saw him again. And Cameron could be controlled through her as well. This would be a profitable arrangement.

"Seven!" Luthor said again. Superboy would be his again.

"Riddle me this: What is a lucky number plus the Joker's IQ? Answer: Seven and a half!" Riddler quipped. He really had no purpose for her other then to piss off the Justice League.

"Seven seventy seven!" Two-Face flipped his coin. The child would make a good bargaining tool for any of the many capers he had planned.

"One Million." Everyone swiveled in their chairs to find the source of the of the huge bid. Matches Malone stepped forward out of the shadows with a toothpick in between his lips. GA would be furious at him for not telling him that he knew where Artemis was, but Olliver would undoubtedly come in guns blazing and bugles sounding, which would undoubtedly get her even more hurt or more likely kill her. Her broken form was hard for even him to see. She kept morphing from his parents, to Robin and back to herself. But he would save her, he would not let another die again.

"Two million." Count Vertigo's accent was heard clear above the murmurs of the crowd. Matches glared at him and growled all of a sudden seeming very familiar.

"Five million!" Matches returned.

"Eleven!" Vertigo hadn't expected anyone to top him and this irritation was troublesome.

"Twenty Five!" HE would give any price to get her back. It's not like Wayne Tech was going to go under anytime soon.

"One hundred million for Green Arrow's _sidekick._" He put special emphasis on the word and Artemis spat blood at it. The room went from excited whispering to dead silence. Matches looked livid. There was no way he could get that much without drawing suspicion.

"Going once... Going twice... SOLD TO THE GENT IN THE GREEN WITH THE STUPID ACCENT! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA !" The gavel banged loudly and Cheshire felt her heart plummet. She had failed her sister yet again. She couldn't protect her when they were kids and she could save her now. She felt rage build up in her chest untill it was too much for her. She screamed bloody murder and launched herself at her father, blaming him for being a horrible dad and not protecting them. The other villains formed a circle around the tussling family members and cheered them on, placing bets among themselves. Meanwhile, Matches Malone once again faded into the shadows and Count Vertigo stepped up to claim his prize. Gently he raised the broken girl and placed him in his right hand man's arms.

"You've the complete complete tapes dictating the whole fifty two hours yes? Not just the edited version?" Joker nodded in between howls, a glint in his terrifying eyes. "I vill pay an extra thousand for it." Gleefully Joker pulled out a dvd and Vertigo his checkbook, signing for one hundred million and one thousand dollars. Then he and the man carrying a weakly squirming Artemis left without another word. Joker laughed even louder and jumped into the full out brawl that was the result of Cheshire and Sportsmasters fight. After they had gotten bored and left, Joker was left to enjoy his ill gotten gains and day dream of headless bats.

All a loud explosion shook the old building, making Joker jump out of his skin. Then six angry adolescent heroes burst into the room, not even bothering to remain covert. Before Joker could even get a knife out of his pocket, a birdarang pinned the moving arm to the wall, then an arrow with red fletching pinned his right arm and leg and finally Superboy crushed his left leg rendering it useless. Joker howled, but quickly turned it into psychotic laughter. This was quickly cut off by a flurry of painful slaps and punches that went by too fast to be seen. Then Kid FLash was in front of him. No taunting smirk on his face, no humor in his eyes. His entire body language screamed with anger and hatred, his eyes full of fire. The others mirrored this. The usual stoic Aqualad glared murderously, his tattoos glowing white hot. Superboy was cracking his knuckles and muttering the mantra 'I will not kill untill I have answers' over and over again. Miss Martian's eyes were glowing white and Joker could feel her digging around, none too gently, his brain causing him to put up his mental blocks. Even so he felt her hatred coming off her in waves. The Boy Wonder was unrecognizable. Under the narrowed mask, one could still see the loathing on his face. The sharp birdarang he was gripping in his fist enforced this. But the scariest by far, was Red Arrow. He had pushed the speedster out of the way and broke the clowns nose.

"Where is she?" Then he broke a finger and repeated himself. And he repeated this process again and again only now only uttering 'talk' before breaking a bone. But what was more worrisome was the obvious jealousy on the rest of the teams faces. None of them even bothered to try and hide it. Joker was starting to get uncomfortable. How was he suppose to kill the Bat, when his sidekicks had already killed him? He had been ready to talk for five minutes, but the archer wasn't giving him enough time to respond in between breaks. Finally after fifteen minutes later and 57 broken bones he got a word in.

"Enough already! I'll tell you! That wasn't funny! I already sold her!" he cried

"YOU WHAT?!" the entire team spoke at the same time.

"You sick bastard!" Superboy punched a hole through the wall next to his head. When Sportsmaster had attacked Green Arrow, he hadn't said that the deal had already been made.

"And for such a great price too! HAHAAHA-urrk!" Aqualad pulled Kid FLash's hand from around the monsters throat and said in a low menacing voice,

"Who has her now?"

"Hmmmm let me think... it's coming to me... oh it's on the tip of my tou-"

"You have four seconds to answer correctly or I will castrate you!" Red Arrow made it clear it wasn't an empty threat by pulling out an actual arrow from his quiver.

"Gulp. It's Vertigo. He was even so fond of my work he got the entire tape off me for an extra fee!"

"What tape, you sicko?" asked Robin still gripping his very pointy weapon.

"For my video scrapbook! All the fun times I've had! You're in there a lot Boy Blunder! Batsy too! HAHHAHA-" but that was all he got, because Miss. Martian's rage had taken over her sweet nature and she mentally ripped him apart. Not that he had much of a mind to raze. Still none of the team looked remotely sorry. A couple of them even looked satisfied. After letting the police know of Joker's whereabouts and Aqualad's mental command, the team headed for the bio-ship. It was time to find their friend.

* * *

Hey hope you like it! Did you guys see the new episode today? OMG I LOVED IT SO MUCH! Real roy is almost as angsty and clone roy! I own nothing btw! So don't sue me or I'll sue back! Don't forget to check out my other story co written by PaintingFlowers13! Have a good weekend everyone!


	5. Vertigo's Plan

When Artemis felt the thick fog lift from her mind, she felt like hurling. Her wrists were chaffing, reopening the bloody cuts on them. Her muscles were on fire as if someone was burning them, but her skin was cold to the touch, like she was in a meat locker. The next stabs of pain came from her shoulders. From the agony screaming across them, she figured they must have almost been ripped off. Feeling more sick than when she woke up, she looked down and retched, watching the bile mix with the blood at her feet. Then she saw him and everything cam rushing back. Vertigo swished into the room he had locked her in and stood above where she was chained to the wall. He had an odd expression of morbid pride. Despite the pain and the fact she had just puked, Aretmis tried to put on a haughty face since she was feeling a tad bit embarrased that she must be such a distgusting sight in front of her enemy. However it seemed to only make the evil Count turn his pridful face into a condesending one, and looked disgusted. Feeling now more angry then humilated Artemis sneered at the man.

"What's the matter? Afraid to get dirt on your stupid dress?" She spat trying not to whimper in pain.

"Hardly. I see that the clown is little more then a braggart, I was promised a sidekick of Green Arrow with no more fight in her then a mewling kitten. Clearly you are still as foolish to attempt to insult me. Your uncoth father was right when he called you a stubborn, persistant unbreakable fighter." Artemis allowed surprise to grace her features, but it was quickly wiped away. "Of course at the time we had all assumed he meant Cheshire, but the stubborn and persistant part may apply to you as well. We shall see about the unbreakable bit though." He smiled without any humor and used his Vertigo ability on her. Id she wasn't tied to the wall, she wouldn't have collapsed into a heap on the floor, so instead she had to retch again splattering her shoes with sick. Then the effect washed away.

"And Superboy thought losing his boots to lava was bad! That was my only pair!" She mumbled angrily. She had meant to shout, but the bile had burned her thoart and left her hoarse.

"But fear not little girl. You are not the Archer worth breaking. You are mearly a stepping stone." Artemis made a face and Vertigo didn't know if it was because she was insulted or in an immence amount of pain.

"Gee thanks. What the hell are you talking about?" She spat and a small clott of blood hit Vertigo's boot. He stepped forward and slapped her. Pain more intense then it should have been went over her like a wave and spots danced in front of her eyes. Vertigo said something, derogatory by the tone, but it was untelligeble due to the ringing in her ears. Then slowly it cleared.

"-you phlebians have no idea what filth you are compared to me. But you are not the target of my plans. Your dearest mentor is. Green Arrow will burn for my humiliations!" Knowing full well that if she opened her mouth to do anything remotly related to taunting she probally would surrvive to see GA again, she couldn't help but smirk through her pain and chuckle a bit. "What is so amusing?" he demanded.

"You probably don't want to know." she whispered. Vertigo put a finger under her chin and raised her head and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Tell me. Or your precious Kid Flash will join him." He watched her struggle weakly against the bonds for a few moments before shaking his head. "If that will not convince you, I can always bring in Brick. He is killing for a chance to exact revenge on your predesessor." Figuring pain now was better then getting her friends mixed up in this, (Vertigo wasn't kidding about how much he wanted that information. He figured Artemis knew something he didn't, like Green Arrow was in the room at the moment.) she met his gaze.

"Fine. I was just thinking you've been humiliated by quite a lot of people these days? Ever look in the mirror for the sourse?" As predicted, two more blows aimed at her face came. Nausa and dizziness returned and the fog began to creep back into her mind. She fell unconsious, but not before hearing Vertigo's final words to her.

"You may laugh for now, but you will scream when you see what has become of Green Arrow."

* * *

After making sure his young captive wasn't going to wake up for awhile, Vertigo left the cold room heavily guarded and walked down the hall of his elegant hideout. While most villians set up shop in old warehouses and other primitive places, he had always prefered the higher life and the luxuirous lairs that came with it. Why sit in a damp dirty hole when you could have soft beds, good food, and beautiful scenery? He had arrived at a plain metal door that was extremly thick. He typed in the passcode and it slide open and closed behind him. Dozens of computor hummed and beeped, hacking, sending out virus' and downloading information. Vertigo swept between then heading for the back corner. There was another door there. It was much thinner and was only used to block out the noise of clicking keys and whiring of machines. Vertigo entered as quietly as possible, standing next to the spindly man with next to no fat on his body. Despite his meger appreance, the man was terrificly dangerous. If you had information on any type of electronical device, chances were he could access it. At the moment, the man was attempting to gain access to the Justice League central communications system. How the Joker was able to do it by himself boggled Vertigo's mind. You'd think with all the crazy in his head, there'd be no more for anything else.

"How much longer? If we waste much more time, we increase the potentail of discovery exponetially! I will not allow all my hard work to go to waste." the man didn't even look up from the screen.

"It'll be done in a few moments. I would have been done sooner, but someone said they couldn't be able to trace me. I had to set up more firewalls and encryption coded then you could comprehend!" Just then the computor buzzed and Superman, Batman, Green Arrow and the Flash appeared on screen.

"Who did the side- I mean the team say has her now?" Superman questioned.

"Count Vertigo. We assume he is somewhere in Star City since he hasn't had enough time to move to another major city besides Gotham and I know for a fact no one has entered my city on the gound in the air or by water." Batman recited. Arrow looked more then pissed at this statment, but Flash and Superman nodded.

"I'll do a few sweeps of the city and see what I can find!" and the Flash's pannel disapeared.

"I'll fly overhead and check the buildings." Batman nodded and Superman too was gone. Then Batman gave his attention to Green Arrow.

"We will find her."

"That's not my worry. What if we find her and she's-" He choked up and his voice cracked, leaving the end of the sentence unsaid. Batman shook his cowled head never changing expression.

"I won't let that happen."

"WELL MAYBE IT ISN'T IN YOUR POWER BATS! YOUR NOT GOD! YOU CAN'T CONTROLL THINGS LIKE YOU TRY TO CONTROL PEOPLE! YOU GO AROUND ACTING LIKE YOU ALLOW THE SUN TO RISE BUT DOES IT EVEN HELP? ALL THOSE VILLIANS YOU FIGHT! ARE THEY REALLY THAT INTIMIDATED BY YOUR RIDICULOUS DARK KNIGHT GET UP? DOES IT KEEP ROBIN SAFE? DOES IT KEEP HIM FROM GETTING CAPTURED AND KILLED? HUH? DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER THAT YOU HAVE NO SOUL WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS BEING TORTURED? DOES IT HELP YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT WHEN YOU KNOW YOU FAILED THEM? Knowing... a villian did a better job of keeping your would be daughter safe?" Tear were visable behind the hood and the mask and Vertigo was almost touched. Almost.

"Are you better now?" Batman said after a while, an almost caring note of concern in his tone.

"Yeah. I'm better."

"Good. Meet me at your place and we'll go over possible hideouts for Vertigo and Artemis. I'll be there soon." Without waiting for a reply, the Bat's screen went dark.

"Send the video now. I will prepare the rest of the operation." the hacker pressed a button and the computor on Green Arrow's end beeped singaling a new video message.

* * *

Black Canary had heard the whole thing. From Ollie's heartfelt freakout to his quietly falling tears. She hadn't had a conversation with him since their fight right before all of this had happened and her emotions were making complete fools of themselves. Anger, guilt, hatred, sadness and worry chased each other around in her mind, playing some sort of crazy game of tag. Anger that one of the team was missing and badly injured, guilt that she hadn't spoken to Ollie yet and that they were still techinally 'on a break', hatred toward the Joker and Vertigo for taking her, sadness the young heroes, who were taking this so hard and personally, and finally worry for the fate of the sassy archer. The 'it' emotion at the moment was guilt. Seeing Olliver so heartbroken and torn up was incredibly painful to see. Even his stupid gotee seemed to droop! She couldn't help but feel responsible for some part of that. She had been a little,(a lot) hard on the poor guy. It wasn't his fault that his doorman tried to hit on her everytime she came in. Slowly she walked over to him and placed her hands on his slumped shoulders. Instead of pulling away, he put his own hands ontop of hers, his body shaking a little as more tears fell.

"Oh Dinah... Dinah... What if he's right? What if I am a terrible father and I did fail her?" She was taken back at his words, since he hand't told anyone about his conversation with Lawrence.

"Olliver Queen you listen to me! You are a good person! And no one here has failed her. She will come back to us and the adoption papers will go through! Everyone knows that you are one of the most noble and wonderful people on this planet. No matter what, you could never fail Artemis or me." Ollie pulled her into a tight hug and tried to stop any more tears from rolling down his face.

"Thanks. You're better at this then Flash is! Does this mean I'm forgiven?" She smiled dazzingly at him.

"Let me think..." and she kissed him softly on the lips. Then a beeping shattered their romantic bubble and pulled Ollie back into his missing protege's perdicament. Green Arrow pressed the button and a girl's screams sent both Canary and Arrow stumbling back clutching their hands to their ears. Red Tornado hurried into the room, drawn by the noise. "How the hell are they getting access to this communications system?" Black Canary muttered. The video was displaying the most brutal parts of Joker's toture session. GA had seen parts of it before as did Tornado but this was all new to Canary. After a few minutes of blood and twisting knifes, in voice barley above a whisper, she said "Please, turn it off. Please." Just as Red Tornado reached for the off button, Artemis' face faded into the sever one of Count Vertigo.

"As you can tell, the girl will not surrvive much longer without medical attention. But she need not die unpurposly. Meet me on the top of the old Star Labs facility at nine o'clock tonight and I will keep her alive untill then. Should you fail to show up, I shall execute her on the spot. Come alone, this is your one and only chance to save her." And the screen cut to black. Olliver looked at his now on again girlfriend. There was still sadness and greif there, but now it was accompained by something more; determination.

"Olliver," She began, but was quickly cut off.

"No Dinah. I have to do this, I have to bring her back. I won't fail to save her this time. I refuse to."

"Actually, I was going to say be careful. And to bring her home to us." She pulled him into a sad kiss before letting him grab his bow and quiver and Zeta for Star City. Tornado looked at her.

"I was asked to notify the team, should any new information come up about our missing archer. Do we inform them of Vertigo's intentions?" he asked monotinously. Black Canary bit her lip and thought about it.

"I dont know. I just don't know."

* * *

Sorry for the wait, I was supper busy with my cousin comming to stay with me for a month! Hope you enjoyed it! R&R!


	6. The Rescue Part 1

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

The sun was almost hidden in under the horizen but it still cast a strong glare blinding anyone who approached it's majestic yellow orange light from the east. It was almost nine when the team finally managed to catch up with the elusive Vertigo. Robin had been trying to hack into the computor Joker was using to see if he had come into contact with the count, but to no avail. All transactions had been made in person and all that was on the computor were creepy photos of Harley Quinn. But the had had astroke of luck that had come in the form of Zatanna Zatara. An associate of most of the criminal underworld was sighted in a well known villian gathering place by Red Arrow. He was easy enough to apprehend, the man had the physical capibilities of a wet puppy that was chasing a lazer pointer. But he was tight lipped. And even a furious Kid FLash, Superboy, Robin and Red Arrow couldn't lossen his tounge. Just as they were about to abandon their efforts, the young magician burst into the dingy room they were using to intimidate the man. SHe quickly told them that Miss Martian had called her remembering the time she had gotten information out of Ivo. Without another word she walked in front of the man, who was being pinned to the ground by an irate Superboy and looked him in the eye.

"Llet su erehw ogitreV si won!" she cast, her voice taking on a wierd dual quailty, like someone was echoing her.

"He's going to meet Green Arrow on the top of the old Star Labs building." Then as if the spell had a time limit he shut up. Being a squeeler was no way to get repeat business and he knew exactly how to take advantage of loop holes. Before realising his mad hacking ability, he was a pre-law student. Zatanna narrowed her eyes and began another spell.

"Erehw is simetrA" He made a face like he was knawing on his own tounge, but in the end, the magician's spell proved too much.

"She is with the Count." But like before, he closed his mouth again. Now properly annoyed as the rest of the were, Zee restrained herself from giving the man a well deserved smack upside the head and put all her engeries into one last spell.

"Tahw si eh gninnalp?" The dual voice conveyed her angry and power at the moment and his resistance was enormously quick. In more words then anyone had ever heard him say before, he outlinned the basics of Vertigo's plan, then quickly fainted from terror at Superboy's raised fist. The rest of the team exchanged dark looks, before rushing out into the night to save there friend.

* * *

The Team had approached the old decrepit lab from the west, behind Vertigo. Aqualad had insisted that they go in quietly instead a full frontal assualt as Superboy had begged to do in case Vertigo simply slit Artemis' throat. They lay in the shadows the sun had kindly provided rendering them almost invisable. Miss Martian and Red Arrow took a ledge that was large enough for RA to sit on and still comfortably take aim with his bow. Miss Martian hovered above him in camoflauge mode. Robin and Kid Flash were on level with their friend's abductor, Robin naturally keeping invisable despite not being flush against the wall, while Kid Flash was perpindicular to Vertigo. Aqualad and Superboy were hiding on a platform across the way from Vertigo's postition and Zatanna was in the Bioship high above everyone else. They kept totally silent except for the routine mental calls of no activity, watching for Artemis and an oppritunity to strike. Then with an almost erie silnece, a man with a three eyed mask brought a girl covered in green and red up into the dimming sunlihgt. She looked positivly awful, and dried blood Vertigo had cleaned off her only brought the actual wound into even greater releif. They all thouhgt the same thing: She really didn't have much more time left untreated.

_"We need to end this now. Red Arrow. Robin. Are either of you in a position to take out any threat to our teammate?"_ Aquallad asked tilting his head though only Superboy caught it. Both gave an affirmative answer. _"Superboy. How many henchmen are here at the moment?"_ Superboy used his x-ray vision and did a quick head count. After about thirty seconds of counting the many, many heads, he turned his attention back to his leader.

_"Almost seventy five."_ Normally either Kid Flash or Robin would crack a joke about taking the hundred on the left, but their moods were too somber to even think about a joke. It was like a completely different person had taken their places.

_"Then we need to get her out of here before they can overpower us or hurt her futher. Zatanna, is the Bioship ready to bring her to the medical ward?"_

_"Yup all I need is the passenger."_ Aqualad looked up into the sky where the bioship was hiding, then down to where all of his teammates were hiding finally rest on Superboy.

_"Then Red Arrow, take the shot."_ Everyone was acutly aware that he didn't specify whether or not to actualy shoot to kill or not, that decision was really up to Roy. Everyone would have made a different choise, all ending in different scenarios, but the choise Red Arrow was going to make never got to be made. Just as he was about to release an arrow, his ex-mentor arrived and effectivly ruined the shot as well as making Vertigo move behind the door that led downstairs.

_"DAMMIT!"_ Robin swore quietly pounding his fist into the air. Batman would have had his head for ruining a rescue operation like that, but there was no one to call GA out on it? Unfair as hell.

_"Robin!"_ Miss Martain chasitised. Everyone whom she could see gave her a look that clearly said 'Really? That's what's bothering you right now?' She looked sheepish for a moment before being spared by the sounds of voices diverting there attention back to the rooftop.

"Archer!" Vertigo called to GA who was on the opposite side of the building, facing the East, from him. "How good of you to come here to-"

"Stuff it Vertigo. Just tell me where the hell she is!" No one, not even Red Arrow had ever heard him sound so angry. Vertigo smirked at his tone before motioning the three eyed man to bring Artemis into his line of sight. Then he placed her, none too gently at Vertigo's feet before stepping back. To everyone's surprise she stuck out her tounge at the man, and flipped him off.

_"Artemis!" _Miss. Martian called out, unconsiously linking her with the others via mind link.

_"Oh heya guys, what's been going on? So what took you? What did you stop for Happy meals or something?" _Her voice was causal even a bit snarky, but her face was screwed up in pain. The man had dropped her on her shoulder. _"So if this isn't some sort of master plan you and Ollie have cooked up, I'd kinda like to get this shoulder fixed so I can beat Joker's ass. Mind helping a girl out with that?" _Kid Flash let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. His spitfire was still just that. The joker hadn't broken her in the way that was unfixable. She was still that annoying and opinionated girl he loved. She probably just pretended to break to get the clown to shut up! But while evryone was assuring Artemis they would get her out of this and things like that, only Robin noticed Green Arrow cry out and rush toward her, only to stumble from the sense of Vertigo that lapped over him.

"Arrow! Don't! I'm not as good a partner as Speedy! Leave me and take him!" Kid Flash and Red Arrow both began to protest but were quickly cut off. _"Oh don't get your panties in a knot! Those are our code words for let me handle this. Yeesh!"_

_"Yeah, but how exactly are you going to handle this Artie? You aren't exactly in fighting shape. Not to mention Vertigo just pulled out a gun and can't exactly miss..." _Robin pointed out inching his way closer to her.

_"I don't know, but if he comes any closer he'll be a sitting duck!" _Aqualad seemed to think about this for a moment.

_"Artemis, do you have any idea about Vertigo's set up here? We already know he has a small battalion below you." _She answered quickly not even taking time to think.

_"He has a few sniper's set up all around here. Red, if you remember that sniper from the other night? He's suppose to aim for you should you show up. The entire plan is to break Ollie by hurting his family. This plan was intended for Black Canary, but I was more readily available and the job was half done."_

_"Red Arrow, Robin and Miss. Martian, seek out and neutralize the snipers. We don't need wild cards in this situation." _Robin ninjaed away, Miss. M flew off the perch and RA simply walked up, an arrow already notched. _"Kid Flash can you take out Vertigo or get Artemis away from there?" _Before KF could answer, Artemis cut him off.

_"No! Vertigo will see you and stop you with his Vertigo thingy!" _Kid Flash frowned. He too had been inching closer and closer to his girlfriend quite nearly stepping into the light. She was looking around herself almost like she was shaking her head, trying to see everything that was going on. An impressive feat considering the shape she was in. But it was Kid Flash who spotted something and then after calculating a few angles quickly, a light bulb went off.

_"I think I have a plan!" _After the other three returned, and were informed of said plan, they prepared to strike.

_"Ready... FIRE NOW!" _And Artemis, with tremendous effort and costing her nearly all her strength, she swung her legs in Vertigo's hitting him just below the knee caps. RA sent an arrow just above her shoulder and the gun was knocked from Vertigo's hand into her own open palm. Green Arrow and Kid Flash both reached Vertigo at the same time and caught him with two upercuts to the jaw,sending him sprawling away from Artemis. The rest of the team flew, flipped, jumped, grappled and used a water spout to propelle themselves onto the roof behind their archer. Vertigo and Green Arrow were trying to throw each other off the roof, and the team settled for knocking out the few guards staioned top side. Then Vertigo put some space between himself and his advarsary, placing a hand to his ear and said something to quiet to hear. All of a sudden, swarms of hench men surround both Green Arrow and the team.

"Aw hell." And the fight started with a flurry of movement and shouts.

* * *

Thanks so much for the awesome reveiws guys! I hope you liked this chapter! If we're lucky I may do another tonight if dance lets out at a reasonable hour! (Seriously sometimes classes run over an hour and a half late!) R&R!


	7. The Rescue Part 2

"Green Arrow no! Speedy was a better sidekick, so just forget about me and go find him!" Green Arrow felt his heart plummet for a moment before the true meaning of the words sunk in. She was utilzing their code for 'let me handle this!' Of course her real meaning must have been to stop him from being knocked to the ground that that acursed Vertigo effect. She was probably just trying to be a hero. They had been having so many conversations about how she wasn't her family and she was a true hero. He had even made her beleive it after she confessed to the team who she really was. If she really was serious about what she had just said there was going to be hell to pay. Green Arrow didn't care if Joker was in Arkam. He would be dead. But now it was Vertigo who smirked as if happy she was so desolate as he pointed a gun at her head. He was going down. Hard.

"Now archer, you will surrender you bow and quiver or we shall see if her blood does run thicker then water." Slowly Arrow slipped the quiver from around his back, sliding a real arrow up his sleeve subtly not drawing Vertigo's attention. Then he lay both bow and quiver to his side. Vertigo waved the gun to the side indicating he wanted GA to step away. He obliged and walked away from his weapons. It would be more satisfying to strangle the count with his bare hands anyways. "Do you understand why this is hapening to you Arrow?"

"Because Joker's a pshycopath who thinks tourture and human extrotion is funny and your the idiot who invited me here? Or global warming. That's what everyone blames everything on. So yeah, you being an idiot and global warming. That's my final answer." Vertigo nearly turned indigo from rage. Spluttering and shaking, he looked like exploding would be an appropiate course of action. But just before he was going to pop, he regained control of himself.

"Peasant! I am Count Vertigo! You have humiliated me and disgraced me for the last time archer! No longer will you get the last laugh, no longer will you stop my plans and no longer will there be a Green Arrow! Before this night is through, you and all of your protege's will be dead!" For a moment, GA was taken back by the verocity he put into his words. He had no more diplomatic community and had to be more careful about the crimes he was going to commit and openly addmitting to one this big was huge. But anger at the threatening of both Roy and Artemis quickly overtook it and instead ire filled his blood.

"Your doing all this just to get back at me for foiling your doomed to fail plots? Listen to me buddy! You may think that I'm the sourse of all you pain and failures, fine let's settle this mano e mano. But if you touch either of my kids, your going to wish you stayed in jail, do you understand. Leave them out of it. It's not their fault your completly incompetent." GA glared and made it painfully obvious he wasn't kidding. And even so, Vertigo decided to push him.

"Oh? So you consider this useless whelp a daughter? How touching. I wonder, would you sacrifice yourself for her?" The blonde girl shook her head, but her eyes were darting around like she was following a fly with them. Vertigo however could only see her head move and his insufferable smirk returned to his face. "It appears she thinks herself still on level with her family." GA blinked before opening his mouth to retort. That however had been a mistake. In the milliseconds tokk him, Vertigo was topiling over and an arrow with red fletching knocked the gun out of his hand. Without thinking, Green Arrow crossed the ten feet in betweent them in seconds and at the same time as a streak of red and yellow, gave and impressive uppercut to Vertigo. While he chased after him, he noticed KF rush to Artemis and gently kiss her on the cheek. Wait what? Artemis and Kid FLash are dating? When the hell did that happen? He was going to have to have a 'chat' with the speedster... but at the moment, Vertigo was picking himself up and wiping the blood from his chin. Placing himself between his injured protege and his enemy, GA took a fighting stance, and charged. Vertigo snarled and tried a right hook that was easily avoided and parried with a left cross. They countiued to dodge and return, untill finally, Vertigo just manouvered himself back and touched his hidden comm link. All of a sudden a swar of henchmen surrounded him. He whirled around and noticed the team forming a protective semi-circle around Artemis. He smiled and let all his attention move to his advasary.

* * *

The team was utilizing the fact they were flush up against a wall to protect Artemis. At times they had spread out a tiny bit giving the brutes a chance to move in toward the injured girl, but one of them always moved back and delivered a even greater world of hurt to the perpetrator. They were extrmely caught up in their own fight. RA was usign his bow as a cudgle and beating his oponents senseless with it, Superboy sometimes bellowed in rage while smashing everything in sight, Miss. Martian was using her telepathic ablitity to hurt the goons more then her telekiniesis, Aqualad was using his water as a whip, smaching villains around like rag dolls, Robin ninjaed around, at last his creepy laugh comming back to him a bit. Finally Kid FLash was going so fast he was a mere blur and the only proof he had been somewhere was the wake of uncounsious bodies behind him. It was because however, that they were so wrapped up in the horde of mooks, that only ne person noticed her beloved mentor fighting on the corner of the old building. It was only her that noticed him stumble oh so close to the roof's edge, losing his footing at times, swaying over the ledge. Only she noticed him finally fall, onto the roof thank god. Only she noticed Vertigo kick him in the side so he was flat on his back. Only she noticed that Vertigo was about to push the poor man over the edge and onto the pavement below. And so it was she who screamed out in both pain and worry, she who shot the gun she was clutching. But three people noticed the bullet strike the ground just shy of Vertigo's ankle and spray his leg with small rocks and shrapnel. But everyone heard his anguished cries. In a fierce rage he turned his attention to the sidekick and he stumbled toward Artemis using his ability on her. For a moment the sense of vertigo was overwhelming and the pain she had been blocking off flooded through her more powerful then she had ever experienced. Faintly she heard a man call her name before slipping into the encompassing dark.

* * *

All of his attention was on his advarsary. He launched himself at Vertigo, knocking them both into a far corner of the roof, seperating them from the team's fight. Everything faded out and It was only the two men, both trying to do the other one in. It was about who wanted it more. Vertigo wasn't letting GA get close using his powers to block him. But GA was persistant and slowly made his way close enough for a hit. When that happened and he managed to get his fist to connect with some part of Vertigo's body, the count would fly back from the impact and land in a heap, only to get right back up again. But then again so did GA. No one messed with his family. No one. Joker was in for a world of hurt when this was done. But for the moment all that mattered was beating the crap out of Vertigo. But the sense of vertigo was so... dizzying. And the entire world seemed to shake and wrap and move. He didn't notice the ledge creep closer and closer. So when Vertigo's power became to much and he fell, he didn't realize he came within a foot and a half of death. The kick sent all the air out of Green Arrow's lungs, and the oxygen from his brain. Dazed he only remotley heard a girl's scream. The gunshot was like an explosion making his head pound. Then his vision lost the haze and he could see clearly again. But Vertigo wasn't there. He was limping in pain screaming obsenities at the all ready fallen child. One hand clutched at his leg while the other was at his temple. Yeah, like GA was going to let him go after Artemis anymore. Noticeing his bow and quiver lying not too far away, Green Arrow leapt for them notching a net arrow. Firing a well practised shot, he pinned the other man to the ground near his first apprentice. He ran toward her calling her name.

"Light out you creep." And Red Arrow, with much prejudice kick in the face, knocking him out. Meanwhile everyone rushed toward Artemis and Zatanna brought down the bio-ship. Gathering his spitefire up into his arms, he gently raced her inside placing another kiss on her forehead. He had the taste of copper in his mouth, but he didn't mind because now she was safe! All they needed to do now was get her some medical attention. He turned around to find a seat when he nearly walked in Olliver.

"West. We need to talk."

* * *

Hope that was alright! I did alot of revisions on that so I hope it turned out well! Let em know what you think! And thanks to those of you who reveiw constantly! It really means a lot!


	8. Back Home

"West. We need to talk." Green Arrow looked livid. Artemis and Wally hadn't told anyone that they were dating, though the entire team seemed to have guessed as much. Their mentor's however seemed to be blissfully unaware. Well that seemed about to change. Wally meekly nodded but aparently GA didn't mean at this moment, because he went and stood near the table M'gann was cleaning Artemis up on. Robin took control of the bio-ship and flew them as fast as she could go towards Rhode Island. They flew in silence the only noise being the gentle lapping of the cloth M'gann was using to clean off some of the stale blood against the small bowl of water. The entire team plus Olliver kept shooting looks over to the two girls, almost afriad Artemis would dissapear into thin air. Zatanna eventually started to cry a bit, and Robin gave Kaldur the controls so he could pull her into a protective embrace. M'gann also looked a little shell shocked and Connor placed his arms over her shoulders soothing her, though he himself look just as shook up. Roy and Wally busied themselves with treating the minor wounds they had received during the battle and Kaldur just flew toward the med bay at Mt. Justice. When the arrived, Zatann and M'gann conjured up a stretcher and mentaly placed Artemis on it before Connor rushed her to the operating room, the girls, Roy and Kaldur hot on his heels. Robin went with Batman to debreif and let everyone know what had happened. That left only Wally and Oliver. His angry face once again replaced the worried one he had adopted while looking at his protege. He motioned they sit down on the comfy green chairs. Wally didn't disobey. Trying not to figit like a small child, he sat down on the corner chair, as far away from the other seats as possible, Oliver however just stood above him.

"There something I should know boy?" He had his arms folded across his chest and had taken off his mask and hood. That seemed to make him more indimidating.

"Uh, what do you mean sir?" he rubbed his hands on the arms rests, getting more and more nervous with each passing moment.

"Don't be a bigger idiot than you already are! Tell me the truth! Are you and Artemis are dating?" Now knowing that Oliver had seen him kiss her forehead, Wally quickly ran both scenarios in his head. The truth was signifigantly less painful and didn't result in his joining Artemis in the medical wing, so he went with that option.

"Yes... sir." He added before covering his head and body from attack. When it didn't come, he slowly moved his hands away from his head and unclenched his eyes. When his head was fully accesable, Ollie hit him. "Ouch! Hey uncalled for!" Wally protested. Ollie just rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"Oh don't be a baby. Why didn't you tell any of us? I think we had a right to know!" He was not really that angry, but with Artemis in critical condition, it was grinding on his nerves. This was the only way he could think venting some pent up rage.

"Maybe so you and Uncle Barry didn't freak out like your doing?" Wally muttered feeling a bit annoyed. It was bad enough he didn't know if his girlfriend was going to make it, but now he had an overprotective mentor on his case too. Olliver sat down on the couch with his head in his hands. They sat there awkwardly for a few moments, before tentivily placing his hand on the older man's arm. They stayed like that for a while before suddenly Roy apeared behind them.

"The surgery is finished. The doc says it's a waiting game now, but you can go and see her if you want." With their nods, he spun on his heel and went the way he came.

"Listen GA..." Wally began before being cut off.

"No, I'm sorry Kid. I'm just terrified."

"I know, we all are. If she doesn't make it out, I'm not sure what any of us would do."

"You know, you're probably one of the few people I'd find acceptable to date my girl, you're ten times better than that Manket kid. However I'm only going to tell you this once: Hurt my girl, in any way, if you don't treat her like the godess she was named for, I will personally make sure you never have kids or run again. Got it?" He was wearing his 'dont mess with me or you'll be eaten' look.

"Relax GA. I love her. I would never harm her in any way. If we were to ever break up, it'll be because she's found someone else. Besides Roy, Rob, Connor and Kaldur already gave me this talk. Well Rob gave me a 'Bat talk,' something about fellow Gothamites. But then Megan and Zatanna gave me one. I think that was scariest." It was true. While the boys had simply given him the same talk as Arrow, (with a few variations.) the girls had actually shown him what they would do via M'gann's telepathy. Now Wally had poped up, itching to see how his girlfriend was. With a jerk of his thumb the boy was gone in a gust of wind. Oliver had to smile a bit. They were cute together. He walked toward the main room near the Zeta tubes. When he got there he found a brown package that was unmarked. He opened it and smiled a bit wider. Picking it up, he walked toward the medical bay, his smile sliding off his face, thinking of what he may find. Twenty more steps and he was there.

* * *

Wally arrived mere seconds after Roy and was pleasently surprised that Artemis was awake and cohearent. A bit loopy off the pain meds, but awake all the same. The doctor was just finishing some final after surgury tests, and the rest of the team was mulling around outside waiting to go in. Then the doctor came out.

"She's going to make a full recovery. But there is to be absoulutly no missions for at least two months, you understand?" She gave them all a look and after they nodded and muttered their agreements she let them in.

"Hey guys!" Artemis beamed up at them, still heavily bruised. M'gann and Zatanna gave her a gentle hug before sitting on either side of her bed near her arms. Robin smiled at her and sat near Zee. Connor came in and stood by his girlfriend and Kaldur pulled up a chair near her legs on the right. Finally Roy sat on the edge of her bed proping her feet up in his lap, while Wally brushed a lock out of her face before sitting protectivly by her head.

"How do you feel?" Robin asked worridly. She was still black and blue and the bandages around her arms, legs and torso were still crimson.

"I feel fine. The drugs I'm on are really top notch!" she said sarcasticlly. Then the door opened and Oliver walked in, his hands hidden behind his back. Her eyes narrowed suspisously. "Are you hurt? Should you be joining me on these drugs?" she demanded. He chuckled a bit and pulled out a brand new and expensive looking campact bow, already painted and proper insignia on the handle. Her face brightened and she nearly gave a squeal of delight.

"Not yet, but once Dinah learns I've tempted you with shooting, I may well be!" he joked feeling better knowing Artemis was going to be ok.

"Oh Ollie, you shouldn't have! No wait you should have. Thank you so much!" she exclaimed turning the bow over and over in her finger, itching to pull back the draw string and let loose a volley of arrows.

"Good, because I didn't. I was going to, but someone beat me to it." he said handing her a creamy white card. On the inside, was a grinnig cat surrounded by a border of sporting equpiment. Later Artemis would blame the tears on the pain, but it was more because her old family just proved they actually cared for her. "We of course had it checked for boobytraps and other deadly things like that!" The moment was effectivly ruined and replaced by Roy's facepalm. The team decended into idle chatter, keeping her mind off the terrible experience she just had. After awhile of it and a couple of poorly disguised yawns later, the team left telling her to get better and rest. They left one by one, untill only Wally, Roy and Oliver were left. Wally kissed her gently on the lips before grinning sheepishly at the frowning archers, before leaving the Arrow family to itself.

"So how are you feeling?" Both proteges gave him the same look Roy had given Artemis on the night the story began. "Ok maybe thats kinda obvious but I'm not that dumb. I meant that blonde head of yours. Thinking is hard for us." Groaning at the terrible joke, both rolled their eyes in usion.

"Ooooooh bad dumb blonde joke. That's how you make someone feel better! But seriously I'm fine! After Joker gave me up to Veritgo it wasn't that bad. You know for being kidnapped." Both men raised their eyebrows. "Ok so I can still hear the laughter ringing in my ears and circus clowns will probably terrify me, but the worst that will happen are a few nightmares. In fact, you guys will probably need more session with Dr. Dinah. That was really more of the point. To break you through me." Oliver held her hand and Roy squeezed her good foot. "What is it?"

"I shouldn't have sent you up ahead. I should have stayed with you."

"And I should have been there. I should have prevented this! Called in Bats instead of you kids. I should have found you sooner!" They all stared at each other, Artemis looking stern the others guilty. Finally, the stern one beat out the guilty ones and turned them sheepish.

"The only one to blame is the pschotic clown, _right?"_ she added emphasis on the last word.

"Yes dear. Yeesh you're almost as bad as Dinah sometimes." Artemis smirked and playfully smacked his arm.

"Says the guy who didn't even get me a welcome back present!"

"Actually I do have something for you Arty!" he said pulling out a plain white envelope.

"Never calling me that stupid nickname ever again would be great!" She muttered as Roy laughed.

"Nah that's for a 'you just came back from the dead' occasion. But hopefully this will be just as good." he handed her the paper and she looked it over. Clearly printed dated and sighned, was the name, Artemis Lian Queen. She held the parchment like it was a precious jewel. The three would deny ever having a tearful group hug. All of a sudden, Artemis broke away.

"Oh crap!" She cried startling her new father and brother.

"What, what is it?"

"We forgot to ask what Joker was doing in Star!" the two of them groaned.

* * *

A few weeks later, the Joker had once again escaped Arkham. It's like the place was made of cardboard or something. This time he stayed in Gotham, figuring he'd just lie low and let the remainder of his bones heal. That however was short lived. Out of the dark, came an arrow with red fletching neatly pinning him to a wall. Then the was a grinning mask in his face.

"You didn't really think I'd let you off that easy did you?" A mocking voice asked pulling out a camera and sai.

* * *

Artemis pulled out her phone, thanking whoever was texting her at this ridiculous hour waking her up. She was recovering in Queen mansion while helping Ollie and Dinah prepare for their upcomming wedding, but was still having brutal nightmares about the whole thing. Hearing that the madman had escaped didn't help her sleep either. She flipped it open and found a picture message waiting. She downlaoded the file and chuckled. The words 'Sweet Dreams' accompained a terrified Joker hanging from a telephone pole. Laughing, Artemis clutched the phone to her chest, falling into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Corny ending I know. But it's two o'clock in the morning here in frosty Canada so you'll have to forgive me! I super sorry about the long wait, but I've been crazy busy with science and friends and family and all that jazz. Hope you liked it! R&R! Happy belated thanksgiving! :D


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